Isaac Benkovitch (Benwick) "Issur"
Born:
24 Tevet 5653 (12 January 1893)
Basic Information
Birth
Date of birth:
24 Tevet 5653 (12 January 1893)
Place of birth:
Near Suraj, Russia
Death
Places
Addresses
parent's home 1901 census:
Flat 15 Frobisher (?) Mansions Whitechapel (1901)
Parents' home:
1 Old Montague Street Whitechapel
Parents' home:
Grimsby Street off Brick Lane (1920)
First married home:
Ducal Street or Hanbury Street (1922)
Second married home:
386 Hackney Road, corner of Mansford Street (1927)
3rd married home, stayed there for 46 years:
11 Gunton Road Upper Clapton (1932)
Schools
Synagogues
Name:
married in Bethnal Green Synagogue 10 July 1921
Flu epidemic, 25 December 1918
Family legend
Cpl Benkovitch did not enjoy a happy home life. He did not particularly wish to return to his father's home so he signed up for service in the Army of Occupation of the Rhine, based in Cologne.
On 25 December 1918, he received a telegram breaking the news that his mother Aylka (Annie) had died in the Great Flu Epidemic.
Otto Klemperer and opera in Cologne, 1920
Conversation
He was an opera fanatic and took the opportunity while stationed in Cologne to attend as many performances as possible and we have many of the programmes.
He was particularly admiring of the conductor Otto Klemperer and, after the war when Mr Benwick heard that Klemperer was coming to London, he wrote to the Klemperer at his hotel and sent his programmes for him to look at and be returned.
Mr Klemperer's daughter sent back a note with the programmes and pointed out Mr Benwick had also heard her mother, an opera singer, perform as well.
Family
Parents
Father: Joseph Benkovitch "Yankef Yaseph" (male)
Mother: Aylke "Annie" (female)
Homefront
Reserved occupation:
ammunition boxes and building buses
What was the impact of this:
Didn't join army until 1917. Worked for Burkle and Sons who completed government contracts to make ammo boxes and buses.
Military Record
Military record no.:
G/24709
Date enlisted/conscripted:
1917
Rank at discharge/death:
Corporal
Assignments
Regiment:
West Yorks 62578
Battalion/unit:
Prince of Wales' Own
Regiment:
Army Service Corps (ASC)
Medals:
Victory and British
